Thursday December 13, 2012 5:12 pm

Google Maps now available for iPhone

Google has finally reincarnated its map offering and is free of charge in Apple's App store for your consumption. The app promises features that the fabled old stock maps didn't offer like voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation. It has been said by AllThingsD that Apple chose to do its own mapping solution because Google wouldn't offer that specific feature for iOS. My initial impression of the app is that it is visually appealing, and we are glad to see that Street View is present, along with public transit info. The most important thing is that the new Google Maps is vector-based, so navigating the map should be buttery smooth. Google reps have admitted that it's even better than maps for Android. Here's the run down of the features in the Google Maps reboot:

"Navigate your world with Google Maps, now available for iPhone. Get comprehensive, accurate and easy-to-use maps with built-in Google local search, voice guided turn-by-turn navigation, public transit directions, Street View and more. Use Google Maps to discover great places to eat, drink, shop and play, with ratings and reviews from people you trust. Sign in to save your favorite places and quickly access all your past searches and directions from your computer, right on your phone."

Search

Find addresses, places and businesses around the world with Google local search.

Discover places to eat, drink, shop and play, with ratings and local reviews.

Sign in to sync your searches, directions, and favorite places between your computer and your phone.

Directions

Get voice guided, turn-by-turn driving directions.

Find your way by train, bus, subway or walking directions.

Access live traffic information in cities across the world.

Street View and imagery

View 360-degree panoramas of places around the globe with Street View.

See inside more than 100,000 businesses worldwide.

View high resolution satellite imagery of locations around the world.

Simple and easy to use

An entirely new Google Maps experience on your iPhone.

Newly designed and streamlined interface for even easier navigation of your world.